Spring structure



mamas Aug, 26, 11924.

D. T. OWEN ET AL SPRING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 22, 1922 Patented Aug. as, 1924.

NITED STATES DAVID T. OWEN AND WESLEY G. nnmrnm,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO; SAID LEHHAN'N Assrerion re sun ownn.

SPRING STRUCTURE Application fild Septemlier 22, 1922. Serial No. 589,750.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID T. OWEN and WESLEY G. LEHMANN, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring cushions, seats and bed mattresses and the object of the invention is to provide a spring structure in which the end coils of a series of helical wire springs are rigidly connected to move and yield unitedly or in a jointmanner without independent pivotal play at their joints or where connected, and a further object is to provide a simple and effective mode of clipping the springs together and kinking and bending the wire spring within the clip itself to obtain a rigid connection and to prevent the wire from turning in the clip. In the annexed drawing, Fig. 1, is a top view on a reduced scale, of a spring cushion fabricated according to our invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the helical wire springs used in said fabricated spring structure. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the upper convolutions only of several springs clipped rigidly together, the dotted lines in this figure showing the same convolutions depressed and all lying in the same inclined plane. Fig. 4 is a top view showing segmental portions of two wire springs united together by a clip, and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the clip on line 5+5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the clip and spring segments shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is aperspective view of the same clip crimped longitudinally as well as transversely.

@ur conception involves the fabrication of a plural number of helical or convolute wire springs 2 into a unitary cushion, mattress or bed bottom, the springs being arranged upright in close formation parallelly in rows and connected together Where nearest adjacent at their upper ends or at both their upper and lower ends, these ends 3 being substantially circular and the largest coils or convolutions in the spring. We are aware that it is a common practice to join or unite such springs by clips, wires and cords, but in such fabrications the springs are either loosely and pivotally connected or have independent play in respect to each other where joined together. Where metal ties are used the play and movement be tween the parts produce a squeak or objectionable noise, and'single springs are easily displaced and distorted. The cord ties'permit dis lacement and distortion also, and these dgteriorate, wear and break more quickly than metal ties. In lieu of fabricat ing the springs 2 in that manner we employ metal connecting clips t which become rigid immovable parts of the springs and unite all the loop ends of the springs rigidly together, thereby providing a substantially flat horizontal surface which is depressed at any particular place or spring will distribute the load to the contiguous springs and beyond these bounds to the surrounding springs without sharp tilt or deflection of any one of the springs.

Each clip dis made of a flat strip of metal having its opposite sides 55 curled around the wire loop ends 3-3 of adjacent springs, thereby uniting the adjacent springs in closely spaced relation. Then to lock the clip and springs together and prevent turning of the wire within the curled ends 5, the clip is indented and oilset transversely at its curled ends thereby forming a corresponding indentation and ofiset 7 in the wire, see Fig. 6. The indentation in the clip may extend entirely across the top from side to side as shown in Fig. 8 so that the main body as well as the curled ends will be offset. Crimping of the wires and clip together locks the .wires from turning in the curled ends, or vice versa, prevents the clip from turning on either wire. The corresponding loop ends of the springs are therefore. held rigidly in the same horizontal plane and inasmuch as each-spring is rigidly united at three orfour radial points with the springs contiguous thereto all the loop endsof the springs are stiflly and rigidly held and connected and no single sprin is free to twist or turnnt its top and be deected to any material extent out of horizontal alignment with the tops of contiguous springs. Tn placing a load at some spot on the spring structure this spot will be depressed more than in any other place, but the same pitch or slope will be imarted to all of the rigidly connected top oops within the adjacent areas, thereby distribut-ing the load evenly to all of the springs surroundin without buckling the springs laterally. %he action occurring in the top surface of the fabric is similar to the flexing of a thin flat sheet of metal, but of course the wire structure is more flexible.

In Fig. Q we show a slightly modified form of clip 4 which is indented and offset I transversely in the same way as in the clip hereinbefore described, but a longitudinal indentation 8 is also made therein between the'curled .edges 5-5. Crossing of the indentations in this way makesa stiffer clip. and a strongerlock for the offset or kinked portions of the spring-wire loops 3. In both forms of'the invention the offsets in the wire extend downwardly at right angles to the horizontal end loop of the springs and are vlocked from turning in the clip. The to of each spring thus becomes a rigid'parto the tops of the adjacent'springs, and whatever flexure there ma be is in the wires between the cli s. If desired the clips and wires may. be rigidly united together by welding or brazing methods.

What we claim is:

1. A spring structure, comprising adjoining wires and metal connecting clips therefor, said clips and wires being locked in rigid union where connected together by in .dentations formed in both the wires and clips.

2. spring structure, comprising a plurality of wire springs, metal clips connecting adjacent portions of said springs, said clips and the wires being both indented transversely at each connecting place therein.

3. A spring structure, comprising rows of wire springs arranged close y adjacent each other, and metal clips connecting said springs having transverse and lon 'tudinal indentations effectingrigid inter ocking of said springs.

4. A spring structure, comprising separate wires connected by metal pieces cur ed around the wires, a curled portionand the wire therein being both indented at right an-- parallel for adjoining wires indented 7. A spring structure,comprising juxta I posed wires, and a clip connectlng said wires having a? curled portion sleeved u 11 one of said wiresand oflset together wit the wire to provide a crank portion in the wire withi in a crank portion in the clip. V

In testimony whereof we aflix our, signatures.

\ WESLEY G. LEHMANN.

mum OWEN. 

